TMJ Diagnosis

A diagnosis can help you find a TMJ disorder treatment option

A first step in determining the cause, severity and, eventually, treatment options that may help resolve your TMJ pain is a consultation with Lethbridge dentist Dr. Lachman. Your initial consultation will help Dr. Lachman determine the cause of your jaw problem and the treatment options that are right for you.

During your consultation, Dr. Lachman’s team may request a digital CAT scan of your jaw to see what is going on within the joints themselves and to assess the presence of any associated disease and/or breathing issues.

Once an accurate TMJ diagnosis has been made, there are various treatment options that can be customized for the TMJ symptoms you may be experiencing.

What’s going on behind the scenes?

Everything in our bodies is connected. If you have a misaligned bite, or if your jaw joint isn’t functioning as it should, your jaw muscles must work overtime to compensate.

This often results in fatigue, and what’s called muscle recruitment – surrounding muscles, such as those of your face, head, neck and shoulders, are called into help the overworked jaw muscles. As your muscles team up to manage your misaligned bite, problems can begin to radiate through the rest of your body.

This can lead to issues in areas of your body you may not expect. A TMJ disorder can cause symptoms such as:

How is a TMJ diagnosis made?

As noted earlier, one of the first steps in determining what’s at the root of your jaw joint problem is a thorough exam. The exam allows Dr. Lachman and his team to carefully observe and monitor the signs and symptoms of your jaw joint disorder.

Using low radiation CAT scans of your teeth and jaw joints, radiographs of your teeth are taken and detailed casts of your upper and lower teeth are made. The data from these tests helps to determine how or if your jaw joint could be causing:

neck pain

postural problems

muscle tenderness

jaw joint function issues

damage to your teeth and gums

Can you find TMJ pain relief at Dr. Lachman’s clinic?

If you are living in pain, especially chronic pain, you know it’s a terrible way to live. If you think a bad bite or a jaw disorder could be at the root of your problem, why not investigate with a TMJ diagnosis. If the test results point to a TMJ disorder, Dr. Lachman can help you find treatment options to relieve the pain and return your jaw to physiological health.

Dentist Alberta providing: general dentistry, cosmetic dental treatment options, dental implants, dentures, prevention & gum care, sedation options and orthodontic treatments. The information provided on this website for Lethbridge dentist Dr. Karstan Lachman, is not intended to serve as medical advice. An appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan for any patient can be made only by a treating dentist, physician, or group of doctors. Cool Dental shall have no liability or responsibility to any person with respect to loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this website or obtained from other websites to which a visitor may connect and view.